Railway-traffic-controlling apparatus



March 15, 1927.

D. W. RICHARDS ET AL RAILWAY TRAFFIC CONTROLLING APPARATUS Filed May 21, 1924 I .Wv Y m T EN.WE. T V N (rm m4 Patented Mar. 15, 1927.

UNITED STATES 1,620,691 PATENT oFFIcE.

DANIEL w. mormnns AND nAnn-r r. HANCOCK, or EOANOKE, VIRGINIA.

RAILWAY-TRAFFIG-CONTILOLLING APPARATUS.

Application filed May 21,

Our invention relates to railway tralfic controlling apparatus, and has for an object the provision of means for enabling a train despatcher or other otficial to be in formed of traffic conditions at a distant point.

In certain respects the present invention is an improvement upon the invention dis closed in an application filed by usin the United States Patent Oflice on the 25th day of April, 1922, Serial No. 556,506.

lVe will describe one form of apparatus embodying our invention, and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

The accompanying drawing is a diagraminatic view illustrating one form of apparatus embodying our invention.

Referring to the drawing, the reference characters 22 and 22 designate the track rails of a railway along which traffic normally moves in the direction'indicated by the arrow. These rails are divided by insulated joints 23 into a sericsof track sections of which only one section V-W is shown in the drawing. This section is provided with a track circuit comprising as usual a battery Z) connected across the rails adjacent one end of the section and a track relay T connected across the rails adjacent the other end of the section. The section V-VV is provided with a signal S, which, as here shown, is of the three-position semaphore type arranged to indicate proceed, caution and stop. This signal is controlled in the usual manner by the track relay T and by other instrumentalities lo cated in advance of the section V- N. but inasmuch as the control of this signal forms no part of our present invention the controlling circuits are omitted from the drawing in order to simplify the disclosure.

The reference character Z designates a train despatchers ofiice which may be 10- cated at a point aconsiderable distance from the signal S, and which office is connected with the signal location by a transmission line comprising two wires 28 and 29. Located in the despatchers ofiice Z are two code wheels A and G, arranged to transmit code impulse combinations over the transmission line, and located adjacent the signal S are two Gill selectors B and H well known in the art designed to respond respectively to the codeimpulse combinations transmitted by the wheels A and G; Lo-

1924. Serial No. 714,801.

the apparatus we will first assume that the despatcher desires'to be informed as to the indication given by signal S. The procedure for accomplishingthis is as follows: The despatcher first operates code wheel A, thereby causing operation ofa telegraph relay 24-, through awcircuit which includes a battery 25 and the contact 26 of wheel A.

The operation of relay 24 causes thetransmission of an impulse'combination from the despatchers ofiice to the selectors H and B, over a circuit which will be obvious from the drawing, and which includes a battery 27. Selector B responds to. the particular impulse combination transmitted by wheel A, so that contact 2 of this selector becomes closed. When contact 2 closes itenergizes a repeating relay C by means. of a circuit which passes tfromterminal B of a battery 11, through contact 2, right hand winding 42 of selector B, wire 10, and winding of relay. C to terminalO' of the battery '11.

'Battery'll may advantageously be a battery, having a potential of about 10 volts. lVhen contact 2 of selector B becomes closed, it remains closed until the operating winding 35 becomes energized by another impulse combination transmitted over the line 28, 29, or until a single impulse is transmitted over thelinebysuitable means, such as a key R in the despatchers office, which when closed causes relay 24 to close. The other selector H hereinafter referred to has the same characteristics as selector B. The auxiliary windings 42 and 95 on these selectors are the usual answer-back windings of the Grill selector, and they perform no function in the system disclosed in the present application.-

Relay G when closed, closes the pick-up circuits for two stick relays C and The pick-up circuit for relay C is from terminal B ofbattery 11, through contact 13, wire 14, windin of relay C and wire 15 to terminal 0 0 battery 11. The stick circuit for relay C is not closed unless track relay T is de-energized, which condition will be considered hereinafter; that is to say, for the present we will assume that track relay T is energized. The pick-up circuit for relay D is from terminal 13, through contact 18 of relay C, wire 19, winding of relay D to terminal 0.

Relay D is provided with two stick circuits, one of which passes from terminal B through Wire 45, back contact 46 of a relay J, wires 47 and 40, contact C wire 32, contact 33 of relay D, wire 34, and winding of relay D to terminal 0. Con tact C is normally closed, and is momentarily opened by a pin 6 on code wheel 6 just before this wheel completes its operation but after the completion of the code impulse combinations transmitted by this wheel. The movement of signal S from the proceed to-the stop position requires less time than the full revolution of wheel 6 when released bV such signal opera ion, and so it will be clear that relay D, when closed, will remain closed until after signal S reaches the stop position and the code wheel 6 has completed its impulse combina tions.

The second stick circuit for relay D passes from terminal B through contact 3 operated by signalS, wires 23 and 31, contact C wire 32, contact 33, wire 34, and winding of relay D to terminal 0. Contact 3 is closed when signal S indicates proceed or caution, but is open when the signal indicates stop. This second stick circuit keeps relay D closed until signal S moves below the caution position, even though the first stick circuit may be opened at contact 46 of relay J, and so, as hereinafter explained, after the despatcherhas conditioned the apparatus to receive an indication of movement of signal S to the stop position he cannot cancel this condition until the signal actually moves to the stop position.

lVhile relay C is closed it closes a pick-up circuit for a relay D which circuit passes from terminal B through contact 7 operated by signal S, wire 36, contact 37 of relay C wire 39, winding of relay D to terminal 0. Contact 7 is closed only while signal S indicates proceed or caution, and so the pickup circuit of relay D is closed only when the signal is in one or the other of these positions. Relay D is provided with two stick circuits, one of which passes from terminal B, through contact 3, wires 23, 40 and 41, contact 43, Wire 44, and winding of relay D to terminal 0. This stick circuit will open as soon as signal S moves below the caution position. The other stick circuit for relay 2 is from terminal B. through wire 45, back contact 46 of relay J, wires 47 and 41, contact 43 of relay D wire 44, and winding of relay D to terminal O. This stick circuit will of course, remain closed until relay J becomes energized.

Indications concerning the traffic conditions in sec ion V-lV are transmitted to the despatchers oflice Z through the medium of a transformer Q, the secondary of which is connected directly across w fes 30 and 38, and which wires in turn are connected across the transmission wires 28, 29.

i lssuming that signal S is in the proceed position, track relay T is energized and relays C D and D are closed, the circuit for the primar of transformer Q is from terminal B of a battery 12, through primary 53, wires 54 and 55, contact 56 of relay C wire 57, contact 58 of relay D wire 59, contact 55, wire 60, Contact 61 of relay T, wires 62 and 63, and a vibrating device E to terminal 0 of battery 12. The vibrating device E in the form here shown is an electric bell, and the battery 12 may conveniently have a potential of about 3 volts. llhile the circuit just traced is closed, the pulsations due to the operation of the bell E are impressed on the transmission line and may be heard by the despatcher as a buzz in his telephone N. If these pulsations are heard, they inform the despatcher that signal S is in the proceed position and that the apparatus is properly set up to give a distinctive indication when the signal moves to the stop position. The buzz in the despatchers telephone will continue as long as relay C remains closed, but this relay may be opened by releasing contact 2 of selector l3, and this may be accomplished by the despatchers telegraph key R or it will be accon'iplished if any code impulse combination is impressed on the transmission line 28, 29.

The battery 12 has relatively low voltage, and the primary 53 of t'ansformer Q preferably has relatively few turns, so that the energy applied to the line wires 30 and 88 by transformer Q is not sufficient to actuate the selector armature and so to release contact 2.

e will now assume that with relays D. D and C closed, a train enters section VlV, thereby opening track relay T and causing signal S to move to the stop position. This movement of signal S releases the code wheel 6 which then operates to impress a series of code impulse combinations on the primary of transformer Q through the following circuit: from terminal B through primary 52-3, wires 54 and 64, back contact 65 of track rclay T, wire 66. contact 67 of relay D, wire 68, code wheel contact 169. and wire (39 to terminal 0 This series of impulse combination of course impressed on the trans mission wires 28, 29 by transformer Q and so may be heard in the despatchers telephone N, informing him that signal S has moved to the stop position.

After signal S passes the caution position, the second stick circuit for relay D opens at contact 3, but the first stick circuit for this relay remains closed until after the signal has reached the stop position and the operation of code wheel 6 is almost COHIPlBiZGCl, whereupon contact 6 is opened by pin 6". Relay D then opens. One of the stick circuits for relay D is also opened at contact 3, but the other stick circuit for this relay remains closed at back contact 46 of relay J, so that relay D remains closed. As soon as signal S reaches the stop position, a second buzzer circuit is closed, which circuit passes from terminal B through primary 53 of transformer Q, wires 54 and 70, back contact 71 of relay J, wire 72, contact 73 of relay D wires 74 and 75, contact 5 5, wires 60 and 76, back contact 77 of relay D, wires 7 8 and G3, and bell E to terminal This causes a buzz in the despatchers telephone which will persist as long as the train occupies any part of section VWV, but the buzz may be discontinued by the despatcher in the following manner: Code wheel G is operated to send a distinctive impulse combination over the transmission line, which combination is such as to cause selector H to respond. This selector then closes a circuit which passes from terminal B, through winding 95 of selector H, contact 9 of selector H, wires 48 and 49. and winding of relay J to ter1ninal O. This causes relay J to close, thereupon opening at back contact 46 the second circuit for relay D whereupon the latter re lay opens, with the result that the buzzer circuit last traced becomes opened at contacts 71 and 73. In order to prevent relay J from being held closed, the wheel G is preferably provided with an extra tooth 170 which insures the release of selector H as soon as the function of this selector has been accomplished.

One important feature of our apparatus is that when signal S is at caution or proceed and the despatcher has caused relay D to become closed so that a code impulse indication. will be transmitted when the signal goes to stop, the despatcher cannot release relay D and so cancel the condition by closing relay J, because relay D will remain closed due to its second stick circuit through contact 3 until the signal goes to stop.

Assuming that the despatcher does not operate selector H to release relay D this relay will automatically become released when the train passes out of section VlV. As soon as relay T becomes energized and before the signal S moves away from the stop position, relay J becomes energized by a circuit which passes from terminal B, through front contact of track relay T,

wire 51, contact 4, wires 52 and 49, and winding of relay J to terminal 0. The closing ofrelay J will release relay D and as soon as signal S moves away from the stop position the circuit for relay J will be opened at circuit controller 4. The parts of the apparatus are then restored to their initial condition.

N e will now assume that when the despatcher operates code wheel A, the section V lV is occupied by a train, so that track relay T is open and signal S is at stop. Re lays C, C and D will all be closed as before, due to the closing of contact 2 in selector B. The relay D will not close, however, because its pick-up circuit is opened at contact 7. All circuits for bell E will then be opened, so that there will be no buzz in the despatchers telephone. In order to determine whether or not the absence of a buzz means that the track section is occupied, the despatcher then operates code wheel G, thereby closing contact 9 of selector H, which in turn causes relay J to be closed. The signal thus sent over the transmission line releases contact 2 of selector B, so that relays C and D will open, but relay C will remain closed because its stick circuit is closed through back contact 50 of track relay T and contact 21 of relay C A buzzer circuit is then closed which passes from terminal B through primary 58, wires 54 and 70, front contact 71 of relay J wire 79, contact 80 of relay C wires 81 and 75, con tact 5 -5, and wires and 7 6, back contact 77 of relay D, wires 78 and 63, and bell E to terminal 0 Relay J will open at once due to the extra tooth on code wheel Gr, but during the time that this relay is closed the despatcher will receive a buzz in his telephone N which will indicate to him that section VVV is occupied. As soon as the train passes out of this section, track relay T will close, thereby releasing relay C One important feature of our invention is the fact that it requires no'equipment in the despatchers oflice other than that usually provided, except the additional code wheels which control the selectors located at the wayside signals. apparatus in the despatchers oiiice is employed for indications of trafiic conditions.

Another important feature of our invention is the fact that all indications received by the despatcher are audible, the meaning of each indication being determined by its nature and by the condition of the apparatus in the despat-chers ofiice. Thus when a condition has been properly set up at a given signal whereby the neat train moving in the proper direction will transmit an indication, this fact is announced to the despatcher by a buzz in his telephone receiver. hen such train passes the signal, the fact is indicated to the despatcher by a clicking The usual telephone 1 due to the impulse combination of the code wheel at such signal, which clicking continues as long as the signal is moving to the stop position. This clicking indication is followed by a buzzing indication which continues until the despatcher operates his code wheel G thereby actuating selector I-I. Should the dcspatcher fail to operate code wheel (2, or should the selector H tail to respond to operation of wheel G, the buzzing indication is automatically discontinued when the train passes out of the immediate track section and the indication transmitting apparatus at the signal is automatically disconnected from the despatchers otlice so that the next train in the same direction will give no indication unless the despatcher has again operated his code wheel A. It the despatcher receives no indication in response to operation ot code wheel A, but does receive a buzz in response to subsequent operation of code wheel (i. he knows that the track section occupied. This buzz is automatically discontinued due to the extra tooth on code wheel G.

Although we have herein shown and dc scribed only one form of apparatus embodying our invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of our invention.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is:

1. In combination, a section of railway track pro itled with a track circuit including a normally closed track relay, a signal for said section controlled by said track relay, a transmission line extending from said signal to a distant point, a trans'tomcr the secondary of which is connected across said transmission line, a code impulse transmit ting mechanism controlled by said signal, a circuit for said mechanism including a source of current and a back contact of said track relay and the primary of said transformer, and means located at said distant point for receivin the impulse combination transmitted by said mechanism.

2. In combination, a section of railway track provided with a track circuit including a normally closed track relay, a signal for said section controlled by said track relay, a code wheel operated by said signal, a local circuit for said code wheel including a source of current and a back contact of said track relay, and means located at a distant point tor receiving the impulse combination transmitted by said code wheel.

3. In combination, a section of railway track provided with a track circuit includ ing a normally closed track relay, a signal for said section controlled by said track r'elay, a. stick relay associated with said signal, means including a selector at the signal and a code wheel at a distant point for closing said stick relay, means for subsequently keeping said stick relay closed until said signal changes to the stop indication, a second code wheel operated by said signal, a local circuit for said second code wheel including a source of current and a front contact of said stick relay and a back contact of said track relay, and means located at said distant point for receiving the impulse combination transmitted by said second code wheel.

a. In combination, a section of railway track provided with a track circuit including a normally closed track relay, a signal for said section controlled by said track relay, a stick relay associated with said signal, means including a selector at the signal and a code wheel at a distant point for closing said stick relay, means for subsequently keeping said stick relay closed until said signal changes to the stop indication, receiving means located at said distant point, and means operating when said signal changes to the stop indication for transmitting a distinctive indication to said receiving means provided that said stick relay is closed and said track relay is open.

In combination, a railway signal, a stick relay associated therewith, means including a selector at the signal and a code wheel at a distant point for closing said relay, a first stick circuit tor said relay closed until said signal changes to the stop indication, an auxiliary relay, a second stick circuit for said stick relay including a back contact of said auxiliary relay, indication transmitting means controlled by said signal and effective only when said stick relay is closed, and means including a second selector at the signal and a second code wheel at said distant point for energizing said auxiliary relay and thereby opening said stick relay if said signal is at stop.

6. In combination, a railway signal, a stick relay associated therewith, means including a selector at the signal and a codewheel at a distant point for closing said relay, a first stick circuit for said relay closed until said signal changes to the stop indication, an auxiliary relay, :1 second stick circuit {or said stick relay including a back contact of said auxiliary relay, indication transmitting means controlled by said signal and effective only when said stick relay is closed, means including a second selector at the signal and a second code wheel at said distant point for energizing said auxiliary relay and thereby opening said stick relay it said signal is at stop, a track circuit including a track relay for controlling said signal, and other means tor energizing said auxiliary relay when said signal is at stop and said track relay is closed.

7. In combination, a, railway signal, a

stick relay associated therewith, means including a selector at the signal and a code wheel at a distant point for closing said relay, a first stick circuit for said relay closed until said signal changes to the stop indication, an auxiliary relay, a second stick circuit for said stick relay including a back contact of said auxiliary relay, a vibrating device adjacent said signal, means for operating said device while said signal is at stop and said stick relay is closed, means for detecting operation of said device at said distant point, and means including a second selector at the signal and a second code wheel at said distant point for energizing said auxiliary relay and thereby opening said stick relay if said signal is at stop.

8. In combination, a railway signal, a stick relay associated therewith, means including a selector at the signal and a code wheel at a distant point for closing said relay, a first stick circuit for said relay closed until said signal changes to the stop indication, an auxiliary r elay, a second stick circuit for said stick relay including a back contact of said auxiliary relay, a vibrating device adjacent said signal, means for oper ating said device while said signal is at stop and said stick relay is closed, means for detecting operation of said device at said distant point, and means including a second selector at the signal and a second code wheel at said distant point for energizing said auxiliary relay and thereby opening said stick relay if said signal is at stop, a track circuit including a track relay for controlling said signal, and other means for energizing said auxiliary relay when said signal is at stop and said track relay is closed.

9. In combination, a railway trafiic controlling device, a transmission line extending from said device to a distant point, a relay associated with said device, means including a code wheel at said distant point and a selector located at said signal and both connected with said line for closing said relay, means for subsequently keeping said relay closed while said signal indicates proceed, a transformer the secondary of which is connected across said transmission line, a

vibrating device, a circuit for said vibrating device controlled by said relay and by said trailic controlling device and including the primary of said transformer, and means connected with said transmission line at said distant point for detecting operation of said vibrating device.

10. In combination, a railway signal, a track circuit including a track relay for controlling said signal, two stick relays associated with said signal, means including a selector at said signal and a code wheel at a distant point for closing both of said relays, means for subsequently keeping the first relay closed until said signal changes to the stop indication, means for subsequently keeping the second relay closed until said signal indicates stop and said track relay is energized, code impulse transmitting means controlled by said signal and said first relay, and other indication transmitting means controlled by said signal and by said second relay.

1.1. In'combination, a railway signal, a track circuit including a track relay for controlling said signal, two stick relays associated with said signal, means including a selector at said signal and a code wheel at a distant point for closing both of said relays, means for subsequently keeping the first relay closed until said signal changes to the stop indication, means for subsequently keeping the second relay closed until said signal indicates stop and said track relay is energized, means including a second selector at the signal and a second code Wheel at said distant point for opening said second relay after said signal changes to the stop indication and before said track relay becomes energized, code impulse transmitting means controlled by said signal and said first relay, and other indication transmitting means controlled by said signal and by said second relay.

In testimony whereof we aifix our signatures.

DANIEL IV. RICHARDS. HARRY P. HANCOCK. 

